The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-04-22

the sheet. Away they few-the
woman with the filler in one hand. the
sheet in the other, seemed perfectly
able to manage the boat, and Rob sat
in silent admiration of the skill which
kept the boat 50 we'll before the wind,
Yet always avoiding the break of any
wave.
Frank had seen all this from the
shore. and now he climbed up the cliff
the better to watch the Star as she rose
and fell on the waves, throwing off the
water from her bows in columns of
foam.
''She is an Out-and-Out racer. / am
glad 1 am not in her. was what he
said; but deep in his heart were feel
ings which no one would have envied;
he would, indeed, have been a misera-
bic boy as he sat watching the lessening
sail, had it not been that in admiration
for Rob's pluck all thought of himself
was drowned.
''WhO would have thought it of Rob?
Why, the fellows treat him as if he
were part girl! don understand it
to go willingly over that frightful bar
when only this morning he was afraid
of it! Rob is really timid, and yet he
will do a very dangerous thing if any
good can come out of it; but do risky
things Just for fun and because I get
going and don't know they are risky
till they are done, and half the time
harm comes of them to some one, if not
to myself"
Puzzling over these differences in
people, he tired his eyes in the strain
of watching the swift little Star, and
the dancing specl1 towards which she
was being steered.
Time went on and on, still the dis
lance between them hardly seemed to
lessen; it was not till the hull of the
Star was lost to his sight that Frank
realized how far out the woman's boat
had gone. He could distinctly see
when they reached it, and then he re-
membered, with a sudden pang, that
they must cross the bar once more to
get in.
''It won't be for some time yet, how
ever. They must tack so much with
this wind, think it will be near high
blOC uC1OIG bntA tCclCl lIlC JUL
Another hour-endless it seemed to
Frank-passed before he could intelii-
gently follow their movements, and
when he could, the Star was coming
shorewards with the other boat in tow.
Alone though he was, Frank sprang
to his feet and gave cheer after cheer
for Rob, for the Star, for the woman
even, and, tired of inactivity, busted
himself in collecting driftwOod to make
a fire in order to welcome the travellers
with proper warmth.
II may as well make coffee and cook
ham, they will be hungry as well as
cold, thought Frank. So leaving the
shore he went some distance inland to
get water from a spring, and when he
returned with pot full what was his
Joy to see the Star very near at hand.
His preparations were barely ended
when he saw Rob lise to lower the sail
and the woman make ready to scull.
Frank saw the boat rise boldly on the
top of breaking wave; her bow dis
appeared under a cataract of foam,
then rose again. 1t was evidently
easier to come in than 90 out; but il
was dangerous enough still, all the
more as behind them was the clumsy
hulk for which they seemed to have
ventured so much. The Star shook and
! trembIed under the woman's powerful
strokes, but she passed in safety
through the second line of breaker:
and once more rode in peace.
Slowly now and quietly the rowers
came toward the shore. When the Stal
was near enough Frank rushed into the
water and with Rob's aid soon haC
beached her above the flow of the
waves.
Rob leaped out, and the woman, who
| had been for a moment or so STOPPING
over the bottom of the boat, rose to hel
feet with Il large bundle in her arms.
As she stepped ashore Franks aston
ished eyes behcld in the bundle-what
a sleeping baby!
Rob screamed with laughter at thu
sight of Frank bewildered face.
That is what she was so crazy abou
NOT her boatn'
Yes, said Rob, ''the child was ii
it. She must have left it loosely fas
tened while she went shrimping. an,
the child and boat were carried on
by this wind and the falling tide.
thought she would 90 mad as we drew
near her boat, and L couldn't make he
out at all, for did not dream of this
you know, and when we got quite N
to it, there in the bottom was the baby
broad awake, and it looked up ant
laughed when it saw its mother
20 Rob, Rob, how glad l am tina
you went! You have saved its life,
know you have"
mpetuous Frank gave his brother
hearty hug, while the smiling mothe
looked as if she would like to give hin
another Youths Companion.